Tile installation guide and related method

Abstract

Various embodiments provide apparatuses and methods for installing tile with a tile installation guide. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a tile installation guide including a guide body having a polygonal outer surface and an opening configured to surround a non-polygonal element, wherein a thickness of the guide body is substantially equivalent to a thickness of a tile for which the guide is used.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tile installation guide comprising:
 a guide body having a polygonal outer perimeter; and 
 an opening extending through the guide body and configured to surround a non-polygonal element, 
 wherein the guide body includes a set of segments, each segment including a curved inner surface and an angled outer surface, the curved inner surfaces of each segment collectively defining the opening and the angled outer surfaces of each segment collectively defining the polygonal outer perimeter, 
 wherein at least one segment in the set of segments further includes a breakable channel configured to allow removal of a portion of the at least one segment such that a shape of the polygonal outer perimeter is changed while a shape of the opening is maintained. 
 
     
     
       2. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , wherein the breakable channel has a depth at least one quarter a thickness of the guide body. 
     
     
       3. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , wherein the guide body includes a material chosen from the group consisting of: aluminum, polypropylene, stainless steel, powder-coated stainless steel, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
       4. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the guide body is between about one quarter of an inch and three quarters of an inch. 
     
     
       5. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , wherein the guide body is substantially square with a side length of approximately 8 inches and the opening is substantially circular with a diameter of approximately 7.5 inches. 
     
     
       6. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of alignment members configured to allow a plurality of the guide bodies to be stacked upon one another in an aligned fashion. 
     
     
       7. The tile installation guide of  claim 1 , wherein the opening is configured to operationally couple with a channel in a perimeter of the non-polygonal element. 
     
     
       8. A tile installation guide comprising:
 a guide body having an outer perimeter that defines a polygon; and 
 an opening extending through the guide body and configured to surround a segment of a non-polygonal element, wherein a thickness of the guide body is substantially equivalent to a thickness of a tile for which the guide is used, 
 wherein the guide body includes a set of segments, each segment including a curved inner surface and an angled outer surface, the curved inner surfaces of each segment collectively defining the opening and the angled outer surfaces of each segment collectively defining the outer perimeter, 
 wherein at least one segment in the set of segments further includes a breakable channel configured to allow removal of a portion of the at least one segment such that a shape of the outer perimeter is changed while a shape of the opening is maintained. 
 
     
     
       9. The tile installation guide of  claim 8 , wherein the breakable channel has a depth at least one quarter the thickness of the guide body. 
     
     
       10. The tile installation guide of  claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the guide body is between about one quarter of an inch and three quarters of an inch. 
     
     
       11. The tile installation guide of  claim 8 , wherein the outer perimeter defines a right angle. 
     
     
       12. The tile installation guide of  claim 8 , wherein the guide body includes a material chosen from the group consisting of: aluminum, polypropylene, stainless steel, powder-coated stainless steel, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
       13. A method of installing at least one tile comprising:
 placing a guide body adjacent a non-polygonal element positioned within a surface to be tiled, the guide body including an outer perimeter that defines a polygon, the guide body defining an opening extending through the guide body configured to surround a segment of the non-polygonal element and the guide body including set of segments, each segment including a curved inner surface and an angled outer surface, the curved inner surfaces of each segment collectively defining the opening and the angled outer surfaces of each segment collectively defining the outer perimeter; 
 removing a portion of at least one segment in the set of segments such that a shape of the outer perimeter is changed while a shape of the opening is maintained; 
 aligning the polygonal outer perimeter of the guide body with an intended tile orientation; 
 affixing the guide body to the surface; and 
 installing the at least one tile about the guide body. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the guide body includes at least a first guide body and a second guide body, the method further comprising:
 stacking the second guide body on the first guide body, the second guide body being substantially identical to the first guide body; 
 aligning the second guide body with the intended tile orientation; and 
 affixing the second guide body to the first guide body, 
 wherein the first guide body and the second guide body collectively have a thickness that is substantially equal to a thickness of the at least one tile to be installed. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the affixing of the guide body to the surface includes cementing the guide body to the surface. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the guide body includes an outer surface that defines a polygon and wherein the opening is sized to surround the non-polygonal element. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the guide body includes an outer surface that defines a polygon and wherein the opening is configured to operationally couple with a channel in a perimeter of the non-polygonal element, the method further comprising:
 operationally coupling the opening with the channel in the perimeter of the non-polygonal element. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the placing the guide body around the non-polygonal element includes attaching a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, and a fourth segment to the surface to be tiled.